The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1887-07-21
Some two weeks ago we published


Some two weeks ago we published
short editorial concerning the Wal
nut Hills Perfectionists. These la
dies claim to be part of God. The
Commercial Gazette few days ago
interviewed the husband of Mrs Mar
tin, the leader of this little company
of lunatics His story is just what
might be expected. He is indignant
at the gang Of persons who have bro
ken up a happy home and greatly in
iured him in his business by this
notoriety. His wife is described by
him as suffering from nervous pros
tration, and as being of an excitable
temperament. She is given to such
expressions as these.
Mrs. Martin in a loosely construct
ed and rambling speech, affirmed all
these things and said, Il am God the
Father, and my sister and | are the
two witnesses spoken of in the elev-
enth chapter of Revelation" She also
Informed those present that the BIZ
BILE was only partly true, and that her
declarations were more reliable, she
knowing infinitely more than any of
its teachers, many of whom were not
only ignorant but bad"
Mrs. Brooke, the other witness, is
spoken of thus:
''Mrs. Brooke did not affect the
"speaker" so much, but at consider
able length endorsed her sisters ut
terances and closed by saying, II am
the Christ, the Son of the Living God" "
Mr.. Martin gives this as pleasant
bit of experience:
"But despite his efforts the whole
family influenced and convinced her
that her belief was the proper one.
She kept growing worse and worse
and her late hours and long speeches
told more and more upon her until
the mental strain was such that to
him she appeared most of the time to
be stupid like one In trance. Her
long sickness no doubt told severely
upon her, and through the magnetic
charms of her sister, Mrs. Brooke,
who has great influence over her, he
said his wife and all the rest acted
like lot of sick persons when they
got together. He would get home
from his business at night and find
the parlor crowded with these people
and his wife talking at great length;
many night she would talk six and
seven hours on a stretch, the rest sit
ting there craning their necks and
completely carried away by her utter
ances.'
Nov to the point. About the
middle of May my wife was suffering
from one of those nervous prostra-
tions. having been confined to her bed
two weeks, and feeling that she was
getting in very precarlous condition,
both in body and mind, and that |
ought to keep her as quiet as possible
until she had recovered her strength,
I forbade any of these people going to
her room but Miss Carpenter, who
wanted to act as nurse. Several, how
ever, ignored my wishes, and in my
absence would obtain access to her
room.
$50 one Sabbath afternoon | re-
manned in the room with my wife and
the whole company came as. usual.
They began to sing and laugh, and |
sent down word for them to desist, as
it made my wife restless. This re-
quest, however, they completely ignor-
ed
presently Miss Carpenter assisted
Mrs. Martin out of bed, and, placing
on her wrapper, started with her out
of the room. | interposed and put
Mrs. Martin back on the bed, and told
Miss Carpenter to leave the room.
Miss Carpenter went down stairs, was
gone a few moments, and then the
whole company. headed by the men,
came marching up. They came di-
rect to the room, and as soon as | saw
them [ attempted to fasten the door,
but they forcibly burst it open and
entered. This was such an utter sur
prise to me and excited me so much
that | did not know whether to believe
my senses or not. [ fought them back
with fist and foot, but in the fourth
@reund | was knocked out with some
cuts and bruises and, while was held
off by the stoutest man in the crowd,
they triumphantly marched out with
my wife, who was willing to forsake
me and cleave to them, deeming the
ties that bound them together infn-
itely above every other relation in
life So, rather than have any more
strife, left the premises, and leave
them to the legitimate fruit of their
own actions"
No man can deny the perfect free
dom of conscience of his fellow man,
and Mr.. Martin cannot blame these
ladies and gentleman for believing as
they do. But he certainly had the
right-morally, if not statutory-to
gather a chair and break the empty
heads Of the fellows who invaded his
home, attacked his person, and dragged
his sick wife from her bed, Sin the
name of the Lord" There is nothing
in the conduct of these people to COM
mend them to the common sense Of
the people of the community in which
they live. Such conduct is nothing
short of lunacy-contrary to all rea-
son and common sense. Again we
would advise Mr.. Martin to place the
suffering lady in the hands of a good
physician-and club the lunatics who
dare TO invade his home.
Poor old Jeff Davis has written a
string Of nonsense to prove that
price was set upon his head, and an
attempt made to assassinate him, by
IL